Injured man's dad still in jail

CLEARWATER - Bad news about John Graziano's condition led to the family fight at Bayfront Medical Center that ended in the arrest of his father, according to a police report released Tuesday.

Edward Graziano, 52, of Dunedin, was being held without bail at the Pinellas County jail Tuesday. He was charged with violating a domestic protection order filed by his wife.

His son, John Graziano, 22, has been in critical condition at Bayfront Medical Center since an Aug. 26 car crash involving Nick Bollea, 17, the son of famed wrestler Hulk Hogan. Graziano was the passenger in a yellow Toyota Supra driven by Bollea.

According to the report by St. Petersburg police, family members received word about John Graziano's condition Friday. The bad news was especially hard on his 19-year-old brother, Michael, the report said.

After crying for hours, Michael fell asleep on the floor of the hospital room where the family was staying.

Edward Graziano came into the room and loudly told Michael to fix his computer. His sister, Christin Carson, told her father to lower his voice.

Carson told police her father yelled, "You guys never respect me." He left the room after using an obscene hand gesture and slamming the door. He returned about 45 minutes later and told Michael Graziano to get up.

Michael Graziano and his sister told their father to leave. As Carson tried to push her father out the door, she told police her father grabbed her and began to shake her while yelling, "You're dead to me."

The confrontation ended after Edward Graziano threw a cold cup of coffee in his son's face.

Police filed a report about the dispute but it did not lead to an arrest because neither Michael Graziano nor Carson wanted to press charges against their father. But the fight prompted Graziano's wife, Debbie, to renew a domestic violence injunction against her husband.

Police found Edward Graziano violated the injunction by knowingly entering the same room as his wife.

Times researcher Angie Drobnic Holan contributed to this report. Tamara El-Khoury can be reached at tel-khoury@sptimes.com or 727 445-4181.